4.5 Stars On our last day in Nashville, my brother and I spent time on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol. It was incorporated in a walk that took us from the Downtown Embassy Suites across from Music City Center to Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. It was my second time seeing the Tennessee State Capitol Building on my vacation. The first was from the Gray Line Tour. The Tennessee State Capitol Building with the Capitol District added a different dimension to the Nashville vacation. Once we got to Union Street, even though we were less than a mile from Broadway, Music City USA seemed miles away. It felt like we were now in a city celebrating the state of Tennessee. We entered from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and 6th Avenue. The first thing I noticed is how high up it is. We climbed steps to enter the grounds. The Tennessee State Capitol Building is at the highest elevation in Downtown Nashville. It is remarkably noticeable from the Northside view along US 31/41, where it looks like it is on top of a small green mountain where a trail of steps carry people up. Not to be political (pardon the pun) the best spots to see The Tennessee State Capitol Building up close was from the east side. The second best spot to see it is from the north side either from US 31/41 or Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park where you get the awesome hill view. The Supreme Court Building blocks the west side. And during our visit, the reconstruction at Legislative Plaza prevented us from taking prime views at the south side. With that said we spent quality time on the east side. Being up on the higher elevation with mature trees, the weather felt better. When we ascended the southeast corner steps I took in the Alvin York statue. When we got to the top of the hill I took in the statue of President Andrew Jackson on his horse Cincinnati with the State Capitol behind it. Walking along the shaded walking paths, I took in the Tennessee Capitol Bell which is a replica of the Liberty Bell. Rising above Downtown Tennessee, my eyes took in a distant east view and past the Capitol an impressive view of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park where we were headed next. I stopped to take in the pond. In the shadow of the State Capitol, my brother and I spent time on a bench overlooking the Tomb of President James Knox Polk and his wife Sarah. The majority of my attention was on the State Capitol Building. Designed by William Strickland, it was completed in 1859 when Tennessee decided that Nashville was going to be the state capitol. The architecture is Greek Revival. William Strickland based it on a Greek Iconic Temple. It stands 206.6 feet tall. It is one of twelve state capitols without a dome. While I was looking at it and taking pictures I was aware that the Tennessee State Senate and Governor could be behind the wall. I was certain that it was the second state capitol building that I spent time outside of (I also reviewed the Colorado State Capitol). Deciding to walk to the Tennessee State Capitol Building and ultimately Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park was a very good move. They added another dimension to the Nashville, Tennessee vacation where we got to celebrate the State of Tennessee. Being that this review focuses on the Tennessee State Capitol Building, I feel that my experience on its grounds admiring the beautiful Greek Revival architecture with the statues, mature trees, views, and burial spot of President James Knox Polk and his wife Sarah minus an inside tour makes it worthy of 4.5 stars read more

PROS: this place is free and has friendly staff. It's clean, nice landscape on the outside, and historic. CONS: doesn't show tour hours on website when they're 9-5 M-F and it's not as big as other capitols ive been in. Like Texas and Colorado OVERALL: I recommend seeing this capitol regardless of whether you're political or not. Just don't expect this one to be as lucrative as others read more

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Took a tour of the TN State Capitol (as a native of Nashville it's important). I enjoyed the knowledge of the tour guide. However, upon entry my first impression of security wasn't a pleasant one. We all were suppose to be pre approved for entry but I was almost frisked and denied entry due to my belt setting off alerts. The remainder of the tour was very informative but beware the type of belt you wear and metal you carry. read more

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I love touring state capitols. I love hearing the history told by passionate guides. I love the history. Unfortunately, I wasted $50 in Uber fees to get down here and back just to hear from the gal at the desk, who was the guide, who was enjoying being in her phone more than the history that was around her, tell me she wouldn't do a tour for one person. What? C'mon, man. If I had that job I'd be wanting to get out of my chair and walk around. Not this one. She told me to "take the unguided tour." If I wanted that one I could've done it online, which she apparently prefers as she can't get off her phone. Not really Southern Hospitality. At all. So I took the unguided tour and it was as bland as you'd expect. I asked her on the way out where Polk's final resting place was. She looked up at me long enough to explain that so I'll give it two stars, I reckon. I mean, c'mon, man. read more

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Most beautiful state capitol in United States of America. The complex is atop of hill and very picturesque. Nashville is a growing, thriving community filled with rich history. read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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My friend and I try to visit every state capitol when we travel. This one is located on top of a hill and parking was not available (lots of open reserved spots which required a permit which made no sense to me). We came across one lot with a couple of open spots that did not have "reserved" signage so we stopped to ask an employee whom was having car trouble and he stated to park nose forward and not backwards and we should be fine (unfortunately, we did not fit). We parked down the hill curbside (paid) and walked up the numerous steps but all was so beautiful (lots of greenery and scenery). As for the capitol itself, it was very nice and clean (as all are) and we had missed the guided tour that was taking place but we were able to self guide. We got to see some employees at work which was interesting and got to see some of the chambers and take pics. Overall, plan on spending about an hour here, especially if you are going to go out on the balcony to check out the views. Very friendly security guards upon entering as well (you do go through a metal detector which made me feel safe). read more

We were walking around O Fallon, different public, art and landmarks in statues and we had a good time. This is a nice spot to check out. It's got plenty of everything you want to see. read more

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I truly need to focus on visiting state capitols more often. Before visiting this state capitol, the only one that I had visited was the one in Saint Paul, MN. I don't know why I stopped because I enjoyed that visit. It's free to visit a state capitol. If you are new to the city where one is, it's a great learning experience. Did I mention free? Yep, keep some money for souvenirs! On my first full day in Nashville, I hit the Tennessee state capitol. I'm glad that I kicked it off early. It was the least humid day out my entire trip. It was humid, but it didn't have an excessive heat warning tagged to it. I parked in the lot next to St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows. You know you are in good hands when your car is next to a church. It's also easy to find when you look for a steeple. It was a couple of blocks away from the state capitol. You can't park in front of it because all the parking around the building is reserved. State police are there like hawks, so it's best to park in a valid, safe place. There was construction happening both outside and inside the capitol building. There are stairs to get you up and down it. However, if you have accessibility needs, I didn't see a way to get a wheelchair up all those steps. There is air conditioning inside. What a relief! I spoke to a security guy when I first entered. You do need to go through a metal detector. I elected to take off my wrist splint before going through it. He was okay if i had left it on, which was sweet. Then again, I didn't want to set off the alarm and startle folks. I cleared it fine and put my splint back on. If you have a purse, he does ask that you open it up so he can look into it. The second floor is where you can see the House of Representatives in session. Since it was closed for construction, I have no idea what it looks like up there. I'll need to return whenever I'm back in Nashville. The first floor is pretty. It's marble everywhere. You have each past Govenor's oil painting displayed through the hallways. There are also a few busts of important representatives to appreciate. I elected to do a self-guided tour. You can also sign up or a 45-minute one if you need a guide and don't want to read as much. The ceilings are gorgeous, as is the lighting. Do look up. It's worth it. I spent a lot of time in the old supreme court chamber. It was fascinating. I learned so much from the information in front of the room and inside it. It is nicely maintained. You also get a nice shot of flags, both for the state and country. There are statues outside the capitol, too. There are a couple of Andrew Jackson. The larger one required timing when the maintenance working took a break from doing his work around it. I ended up taking a photo when he stepped away briefly. You have the option of picking up a free Tennessee Blue Book as a souvenir. It's published once every two years. It contains cool facts about the state, people, and more. It's essentially a book with lots of statistics. It's up my alley, but it was over 400 pages and it was pretty heavy to lug around. I had a great experience as a tourist. I recommend dropping by to check it out whenever you're visiting Nashville. (249) read more

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Enjoy visiting state capitols and Nashville was no different. Open Mondays-Fridays. Parking was a bit tricky but found a few blocks away on the street. Rich in history and art, worth a visit. And if you time it right, tours are also available. Take the kids, it's free. read more

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When I travel to other states, I like to visit the State Capitol if I am able to. What is really great about state capitols is that they are always free, and you have an opportunity to learn about the history of the state. My husband and I visited Tennessee's state capitol back in December. During that time, there were no group tours (but have since resumed) and picked up a visitor guide which provided a very informative tour of two of the floors inside and also outside. The architect for the state capitol was William Strickland, in which you can see his portrait on the first floor (he was actually buried on the northeast corner of the capitol grounds in a tomb structure that was designed by himself). There is also a portrait of Andrew Jackson (the 7th president of the US, he also served as the elected judge of Tennessee's superior court), James K Polk (the 11th president of the US, interestingly he and his wife, Sarah, are buried on the capitol grounds, in the East Garden. After former president Polk's home was sold and later demolished, his tomb was moved to the state capitol grounds), Andrew Johnson (the 17th president of the US, he was the only US president to serve as US Senate after his presidential term). When you take the stairs up to the second floor, there is a noticeable chip in the handrail (and the wall), which is believed to be from a bullet that was fired from the stairs above during a fight in the legislature over the ratification of the 14th amendment in 1866. Once upstairs on the 2nd floor, in the center of the hallway there are these beautiful gasolier lamps, which are beautifully crafted. These lights have been converted from gas to electricity in 1895. During our self-guided tour, we were able to visit the House of Representatives room since there was no meeting in session. The House chamber holds 99 members. We were also able to visit the Senate chamber due to no meeting in session as well. The Senate has 33 members and there is a beautiful gasolier lamp in the middle of the room. We also were able to visit the State Library (also know to be called the Legislative Lounge), which is down the hall from the Senate chamber). But the State Library may be closed if a meeting is being held in there. This library has been restored to its mid 19th century appearance. What you may notice as soon as you come into this room is the original spiral staircase. You may also notice another beautiful gasolier lamp that is right next to the spiral staircase. This state capitol is one of 12 state capitols that does not have a dome. The State Capitol is located in downtown Nashville, specifically on the highest point on top of a hill (which was purposely picked for the capitol to be built on). It took about 15 years for the State Capitol to be built. Because I came during the month of December, the State Capitol was decorated with garland, red bows, poinsettias and Christmas trees (there are glass ornaments that were hung on the trees, whom I suspect were painted by the staff here). I spent a little over an hour here going through the self tour and looking at everything inside and most of highlighted items from the self tour, on the outside. When we came, it was pretty much empty (which was nice and quiet). But typically state capitols aren't normally that crowded (at least all the many ones that I have visited so far, which is over half of the US). Parking can be a challenge. We were lucky that we stayed at a hotel that provided free shuttle, that dropped us off at the bottom of the hill so we didn't have to worry about that. It is worth a visit to the State Capitol if you are visiting Nashville and at hour of time to give. Maybe even consider joining in on the free docent led tours (which takes about 45 minutes). read more

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No trip to Nashville is complete without a visit to the State Capitol building. It's really beautiful inside and after you pass through security you immediately feel the difference between life in California controlled by Democrats vs. this Republican controlled State. It's a step back in time to when you did not have to worry so much about expenses, crime, and a more friendly peoples. Very interesting is that so many times on our trip to Tennessee, locals including the assistant to a representative at the capitol asked us where were from and when we said California, they presumed we were looking to move to Nashville. read more

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During my 2022 trip to Nashville, I stayed at the Capitol Hotel, and we could see the state capitol from our room. Our tour of the Tennessee State Capitol was top notch, replete with great history. We visited several rooms in the building, including where the legislature sits. It's a stately building with an ideal location in the city, and walking the grounds is a great experience also. If you're in Nashville, I'd thoroughly recommend touring the state capitol. A truly classic southern building. read more

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I love visiting state capitols, so this was at the top of my list on my recent and first time visit to Nashville. The capitol building is atop Capitol Hill, which requires you to go up many steps to reach the building, especially if you walk from Bicentennial Park like we did! You can walk around the first and second floors on your own, or join a short 30-40 min guided tour. Guided tours start at the first floor information desk Monday through Friday on the hour between 9 AM and 3 PM. Be sure to check out the old/original Supreme Court chambers on the first floor, as well as the galleries for the House and Senate chambers on the second floor. read more

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Lovely state Capitol building and very imperious, standing atop a hill over Nashville. I did a self guided tour and found it to be just magnificent inside, especially the library with its restored spiral staircase, which was original to the building In 1859. The ornate ceilings, the busts, the portraits, the flooring, and the architecture are just stunning, if not a bit imposing. I've now visited 18 State Capitol Buildings. While this is not my favorite one, it is a very lovely one, well worth a visit. read more

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This is a nice state capital. We got a very good tour guide who was very knowledgeable on the capital and just a good person. I would highly recommend taking the tour if available. It is a trek to get to the capital, it is on large hill so be prepared for that. It was not very busy. Overall recommend to anyone. read more

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We missed our opportunity to go in and do a tour, but we were able to explore the grounds, take some unique shots of the city from the Capitol, and encounter some skateboards and teens acting a fool while their parents cheered them on. Parenting. Built in the 1840s and 50s, the architecture borrows from the Greeks and is really incredibly detailed and visually impressive. High on a hilltop and boasting incredible views of the city, this stunning white building was designed by Mr. William Strickland who had ties to both Philly and Nashville and whose final resting place is inside the building. Creepy but also kinda cool. Statues of both Presidents Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson (Tennesseeans) are on the grounds. The building is the site of the governor's office. Definitely worth the visit if you can climb all those stairs. Take breaks, bring water, make jokes about your inability to climb, and be wary of the many, many homeless people (some are aggressive) on the grounds. read more

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The Tennessee Capitol in Nashville is another beautiful architectural dome. Matches the other columns and the Parthenon. It sits high up on a hill in the center of town. On stairs on both sides there were folks running, post-Covid. It's almost yellow at dusk. Pristine view. Rebel review: 5 read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Tennessee capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

What's not to love?? The building (once past security) is relatively open to be wandered and it is filled with amazing frescos, portraits, sculptures and oh yaa -- a working state government!!! We went for Bill Lee's inauguration day festivities and really enjoyed the state capital walk throughout. While we had rsvp's for the tour I think normal process is to pass through security, and then check in at info counter on 1st floor (note tunnel is on level -2 so you go up to first floor of building). Cool thing is you can attend house and senate "gallery" seating above main floors of house and state senate in the building. Check state govt web site for more details. We reco the walking tour -- Lots of info and great educational experiences read more

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One thing that holds dear to my heart is the capitol building in Nashville. Rich with a ridged past, it acts as the epicenter of our state's legislature. I recently came here for a tour. It lasts approximately 45 minutes and covers all floors of the state house. The tour is free and you're able to come with a large group. But, if you do, make sure to make reservations ahead of time. I showed up solo and jumped on a tour without any prior notice - which - is totally fine to do since they offer tours on the hour every hour between 10 to 3 during the business days. You are allowed to roam freely if you wish. Just be mindful this is a government building and you are not allowed to bring in weapons or pepper spray. This would seem like common sense, right? Well, I forgot to remove my pepper spray from my purse and was sent back to my car to get rid of it before entering. Lesson learned. I just didn't think about it before going. Hopefully, people are mindful not to bring the conceal and carry inside of there! I love the historical architecture of the building. There is a ton to it. I will spare you the details, but look it up to gain some knowledge! One tidbit I can leave you with is that the staircase in the stately library was ordered from a catalog. This is covered on the tour. One the property, President Polk and wife Sarah are buried on the grounds. It is currently up for debate whether they are going to relocate him to Columbia, TN, to be near their home, but for now, they are staying put. President Polk's parents are buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Columbia and were some of the first settlers in Maury County. The capitol is worth a visit whether if you are a local or a tourist. This was my first time here. I am just as surprised as you are. It is well worth the time spent. Invest 1.5-2 hours to truly appreciate its grandeur and its reckless past. read more

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Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only ten I see. Pretty Capitol building with a nice reflecting pool, but kind of small (that's what she said) and nowhere near as stunning as some of the others. Still, a beacon in the heart of an interesting and expanding city, and a nice break away from the country music and the hot fried chicken and BBQ. Beautiful design and well worth a walk around when you're in town. Anyway I'm in a bit of a state so that will do for this review. read more

Tennessee State Capitol - That red trash can doe - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The Tennessee State Capitol is one of the smaller capitol buildings I have visited. Parking is terrible here. Very limited parking all around. I had to park on the back side down the hill and walk up and around to get here. Metered parking. Exterior is typical capitol style with a small dome. Inside is set up exactly like every other capitol I have been to but on a small scale. They were open for session so we got to peak in and see "stuff" happening. There is a small memorial for President Polk on the outside. Cool site to visit, wish they made it easier to park. read more

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Well worth a visit. A lot of history here. Get a map from the information desk and do a self paced tour. You can get into any room that has an open door. Pretty architecture. read more

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Unimpressive as State Capitols go. Certainly compared to all of the monuments outside of Iowa's Capitol building (Des Moines), Nashville is lacking. And for majesty and impressiveness, it's lacking compared to Arkansas's Capitol building (Little Rock). But as state government buildings go, Nashville is A-OK. Tremendous and unexpected number of homeless across the street in Legislative Plaza. That was unexpected and quite telling. Oh, and rather sad. Nashville clearly has a problem here that they're not doing a very good addressing. Whether that's a government problem or a lack of charity outreaches in this area, I couldn't tell you. Parking isn't easy. Fortunately, I was walking. Tennessee is my TENTH Capitol in my quest to visit all fifty-seven state Capitols. read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The Tennessee State Capitol sits on top of a hill, in which they offer tours for the patrons to check out. I enjoyed checking out the grounds as well, as my favorite part was seeing the Capitol Relics (replicated carved stones of the original columns from the Capitol building back from 1850 in limestone). +Capitol Relics read more

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Family project to see all 50 capitals and we arrived in Nashville for the New Year to cross off another state on this journey. First be aware that it's located in an area surrounded by buildings and parking is limited. The geographical location can be challenging due to the steep location and hills around it. As you walk around you can view statues of James K Polk, Andrew Johnson and Andrew Jackson. Other features to see a memorial to Slaves lost in the Triangular Trade, a liberty bell and trees planted in honor of the Holocaust. Finally World War I hero Alvin York can be found at the corner of the capital. Nice area no fees read more

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This rating is just based on the exterior and in comparison to other state capitols that I've visited. The Tennessee State Capitol is so underwhelming! They need to step up there game here. read more

Very interesting free tour. Sherree was our guide. She was very welcoming and added people as they joined the tour. She was very knowledgeable and even pointed out places out the window off the capitol site. We learned a lot. I would be very careful with small children on this tour. This is an old building. The stair railings are low and stair spindles have large gaps on them. read more

You know, sometimes one has to leave in order to appreciate things. Or, maybe I just get a little restless when I go home to visit my parents. Either way, I was in Nashville last week and looking for something to do. I read in the paper that the State Capitol gives free tours on the hour, every hour. (An earlier reviewer says it's every 15 minutes, but that info is outdated. As of 2011, it's once an hour.) So, we went! WOW! It was way more beautiful on the inside than I was expecting. I've always thought the outside was pretty, but I just wasn't expecting it to be so ornate on the inside. Our tour guide was friendly and answered our questions. Even though I'm sure she's given the tour countless times, she still injected bits of humor into it and gave us lots of "fun facts." If you can't make it for a tour guide led visit, they have self-guided walking tour brochures sitting at the welcome desk. A lot of the information was the same, but our tour guide did give us more information than simply what was printed. read more

I'm from Texas and I think it's a well established fact that we Texans have a bit of an ego. So obviously I'm quite biased in my opinion of the best state capitol. But I will try to put that aside for the purpose of this review. This capitol is unique in that it is not domed-instead it's Greek Revival. Also, it is the only state capitol to have President Polk and some other dude entombed in it. Kinda creepy, kinda cool, huh? They give tours every 15 minutes and our tour guide was great! She knew all sorts tidbits about the building and its history. I really enjoyed our tour! read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

While it does look like most other capitol buildings, this is worth a stop for the tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and current workings of Tennessee. She obviously went beyond memorizing a spiel, and there are certainly some interesting stories to be told here. read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

While Tennessee's State Capitol isn't one of the nation's largest capitol buildings, it is, in fact, one of the oldest, with an Antebellum completion date of 1859. Sitting on a hill on the north end of downtown Nashville, its beautifully landscaped grounds command an impressive view of the city, and are home to an equally impressive collection of statues and historical markers -- including the tomb of President James K. Polk. The Capitol's interior isn't as overwhelming as others I've seen, but is still an architectural work of art, with gorgeous frescos adorning its low ceilings, and historical busts and portraits around every corner. Both legislative chambers have a subdued elegance, and the restored State Library Room is magnificent. Guided tours are available, but the self-guided booklet at the information desk was more than sufficient for me. Leave yourself about an hour to see the building and the grounds, and experience one of America's most memorable state capitols, in the heart of Music City. read more

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I love state capitols and they're always fun to tour. It's great to see what parts of a state's history that they want to emphasize and it's great that they're usually free. The Tennessee State Capitol is no exception and it's really a beautiful building. It's designed in the neo-classical style so popular in Nashville and is surrounded by beautiful monuments and even has James K. Polk's grave outside the building. The inside is gorgeous and the senate and house chambers are very fun to see. Tours are on the hour during weekdays, but you can just roam as you please and do a self-guided walking tour. It's smaller than some other state capitols (like PA and NY), but it's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area and love history! read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Before dissing the Tennessee State Capitol, it might help to know some history. Correct, it's not as grand as some newer capitols, but it's one of the oldest working capitols in the country. That's part of its charm. We have kept this monument to our democracy alive for more than 150 years ... longer than many other states have existed. Other states replaced their capitols, expanded them or renovated them. We have maintained the original integrity of ours. So if you want to look at The White House and say "I've seen grander houses elsewhere," you might be right, but you're missing the point and looking sort of shallow. read more

Such a beautiful building, that all must see, on their visit to Tennessee. Free admission. Bring your ID! They scan it before going through the metal detectors. They have a self guided tour booklet (which is provided free of charge). I followed the booklet but pretty much got lost at the end. I had to figure out where I was most of the time and couldn't. Its only two stories, how da heck did I get lost. Just go cuz its free, because no one would go if it costs money. It's our state's place of business, not a museum read more

Tennessee State Capitol - Spiral staircase in the lounge (2nd floor). - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Not the biggest nor the prettiest State Capitol building but if you are a Tennessean, it is home! I visited first as a child and wanted to return with my children to teach them a little about the Volunteer State. It is located on the city's highest hill in downtown Nashville with beautiful grounds and statues of famous Tennesseans. The interior is small but well maintained. We enjoyed the tour and loved learning that William Strickland, the man who designed it, is buried in a tomb on the north wall. Definitely worth a visit to Nashville and don't miss a visit to the State museum. read more

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Long drive from Little Rock to Lexington today but had to stop in Nashville for a couple of hours to see the Tennessee State Capitol. Nashville was a very vibrant City and I really wish I could have spent more time there! The capitol was built in the 1840s and they went a bit minimal. It's not as minimal as North Carolina or Nevada but this Capitol does not have a dome and it only had two main floors. However, the inside was nice and I got some good pictures. The State library was kind of comedic. They literally ordered all of the parts for that room out of a catalog and the railings include figures such as American presidents and British literary figures like Shakespeare. Good tour guide today to explain all of these quirks. Too bad they were doing a lot of construction and removing the top copula for restoration. read more

As far as state Capitol buildings go, this is certainly on the smaller and more modest side; but the staff is knowledgeable, personable, and very proud of what they do and where they work, which was refreshing and a wonderful experience to visit. There are complimentary guided tours leaving from the Info Desk on the 1st floor on the hour during the day on weekdays. We were not able to go to the top cupola to see the view, unfortunately. read more

The Tennessee state capital is a pretty nice building and it photographs nicely. I actually thought it would be a lot bigger and grander though. They have a couple of statues in the surrounding areas and I really like the steps and that it sits upon a hill. They could use some more landscaping work to beautify the grounds. I didn't get the opportunity to go inside because we were pressed for time, but I will next time I'm in the area. read more

The Capitol building was closed when we visited so I can only comment on the exterior architecture. This is one of only two non-domed Capitol buildings in the US, which is pretty neat. The grounds are pretty, totally accessible on foot, and walkable in 20-30 minutes at a leisurely pace. Interestingly, James K. Polk and his wife are buried on the grounds, so you can see two presidential graves in one day if you also visit the Hermitage. On weekends, this place is pretty deserted so you can have all the time you want to walk around and enjoy the sights. The farmer's market is about a five or ten minute walk north of the grounds so you can buy a picnic lunch and eat on the Capitol steps. Tours are free and only given during the work week. Caution: this place is crawling with school groups during the school year so keep that in mind if you're visiting during the year. read more

I have taken my students here twice and I have been here once on my own to protest for teacher rights. I have to say that it is a great field trip! The tour guides are friendly and are willing to answer 3000 questions from excited students (and their teacher). I love that they walk the kids through the entire place (including walking through the governor's office). We even got to meet the current governor while we were eating lunch. I thought it was nice of him to stop and talk with my kids. I personally love hearing why it was built there and how Nashville hasn't always been the capital of Tennessee. The limestone makes the building cool in the summer and that was wonderful the last time we went. My favorite part- it is completely free. Add a visit to the War Museum and you have a trip worth the hour drive there and hour drive back! read more